Management of Safety Rules and Procedures

Management of Safety Rules and Procedures

This report was commissioned by IOSH Research and Development Fund. The emphasis of the report was to analyse the literature on safety rules over the past two and half decades, and learn from the scientific literature. The literature contained professional and scientific papers on safety procedures, which helped learn many lessons. All rules that impact safety in one way or another considered. These rules were either examined exclusively or along with the objectives of environment, quality, efficiency and production, among other things.

Theoretical and practical representation constituted the formation of these lessons. In theoretical form, the literature is scientifically examined, and conclusions drawn from theoretical and empirical research. The studies also focus on rule management and rule making from large quantities of safety science literature, which also encompasses the organisational and psychological fields. On the other hand, practical form is the self made notes taken from scientific reviews. Only the valuable material extracted from the scientific reviews, which aimed at professionals, and includes strategies to help the organisations improve their management system. The method is also useful for consultants who study the safety rules and methods of management.

The method used to conduct the literature survey involved using 27 search words in 25 different multiple and single databases with all the required combinations. The search resulted in 301 relevant studies, ranging from 1986. After careful analysis, the paper count reduced to 180, which were examined in detail.

Theoretical approaches of management and rule use were the central topics in the literature. The valuable role in the study contained the structure of rule management process, which consisted of 9 steps, and each step suggested good practice proposals. Safety practitioners and researchers examined these proposals which were presented at various stages of development. These proposals were presented at conferences and workshops, in order to develop and refine the conclusions and composition. After the last review paper, the authors conducted a workshop with twenty three other safety experienced professionals. In the workshop, scientific theory was compared and confronted with practice.

In the workshop, many issues were raised, after which the participants critiqued the various aspects of rule management and provided practical of good practice. The discussions which ensued were helpful in drafting a framework with the title of “Notes of Guidance”. The structure included safety procedure and rules management, rule management principles and good practice examples for every step of the nine step process. A final version was established after revision and comments. These experiences of the safety experts, which includes making changes to procedures were summarised in an intervention plan. This intervention plan was then reviewed and improved, to be used for rule management.

In the start of the literature review, several theoretical concepts regarding the purposes and methods are carried out. The literature also introduced the association governing those rules, which included production and safety. In the review, it was ascertained that safe work includes working in an envelope which is encompassed by ...